It has become commonplace for protective headgear to be worn while a user is undertaking a number of different activities. Frequently, there are safety-related laws or standards that require certain types of protective headgear to be worn, depending on the occupation or activity a user performs. Different types of protective headgear are generally known in the art. Certain activities, such as welding, require the wearing of protective headgear, i.e., a welding helmet, to protect the user's head, neck, face, and eyes. Other examples of protective headgear include bicycle helmets, motorcycle helmets, or helmets used during sporting activities.
Protective headgear used for different purposes can differ greatly in their design. Generally though, protective headgear will include: (1) a protective body, i.e., a helmet, to cover the user's head, (2) a type of headgear strap attached to the helmet to enable the headgear to remain on the user's head during use, and (3) a suspension system to separate the user's head from the helmet. Specifically with regard to welding, the user must also protect his eyes from dangerous sparks, heat, infrared and ultraviolet rays emitted when welding, while still remaining able to see in front of him. Accordingly, the protective headgear worn while welding further includes a face portion that acts to shield a user's face while allowing the user to see through the face portion to view his work. In addition, protective headgear worn while welding should enable the user to pivot the helmet portion of the headgear while the suspension system and headgear strap remain on the user's head.
The headgear strap is typically adjustable to enable the user to change the length of the strap to conform to the circumference of the user's head. An adjustable headgear strap allows the protective headgear to fit comfortably and securely during use, which is imperative during dangerous practices such as welding. The strap can be of closed loop formation, or utilize a type of ratchet mechanism that enables the length of the strap to be adjusted manually.
While ratchet mechanisms are generally known in the art and allow a user to manually loosen or tighten the headgear strap, none utilize a single mechanism that can allow for both adjustment of the size and fit of the headgear strap, and the ability to disengage the entire mechanism for automatic loosening of the headgear strap so that the protective headgear can be pulled off the user's head. Without a single quick-release mechanism, it can often be awkward and take needless time to ratchet the mechanism to loosen the headgear strap. Moreover, in the event of a need to remove the protective headgear quickly, such as in the event of an accident or other emergency, users, such as welders, should have a simple mechanism to free themselves of the oftentimes heavy and restrictive headgear.
There is a need to provide a protective headgear assembly with a headgear strap that can be easily adjusted for length to enable a user to be able to wear the protective headgear assembly securely.
There is also a need for a protective headgear assembly that can be removed in a simple, quick and efficient manner.
There is also a need for a protective headgear assembly wherein the helmet can pivot from a closed position (during use) to an open position (when not in use) while the headgear strap and suspension system remain in place on the user's head.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a protective headgear assembly wherein the headgear strap can be both adjusted for length and disengaged utilizing a single mechanism. By use of a single mechanism, a user can perform both actions in an easy and straightforward way.
It is also desirable to provide a protective headgear assembly wherein the helmet is capable of pivoting from a closed position (during use) to an open position (when not in use) while the headgear strap and suspension system remain in place on the user's head.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a protective headgear assembly which effectively addresses the aforementioned shortcomings associated with prior apparatuses of this general type, as well as to provide the above-mentioned desirable features.